mksaelens-31444 Reviews

Visioneers (2008)

It had me at Office Space and Brazil

[9/10 · 18 May 2024]

I stumbled onto this gem\ when I was simply browsing through a Dollar Tree store near my home in Chicago, and it had me as soon as the DVD case made comparisons to two of my favorite movies, Office Space and Brazil (both Mike Judge and Terry Gilliam are cinematic geniuses).

There are definitely elements of both those films throughout the movie, although Zach G's portrayal of George seems more surreal and low-key than Ron Livingston's almost happy-go-lucky. Peter Gibbons in Office Space.

Neither character seems to know where they want to go, but are certain that it's someplace far away from where they currently are.

Judy Greer, whom I first came across years ago in The Hebrew Hammer, reminds me a lot.of Julie Christie's portrayal of Linda Montag in the 1966 classic Fahrenheit 451, another excellent film.

I also found the "digital salute" rendered by each character as they addressed other people to be humorous.

If you get a chance, check this one out. The $5 I spent tp buy this was definitely money well-spent.

Estella Scrooge: A Christmas Carol with a Twist (2020)

Offbeat and different, but I really liked it

[10/10 · 1 September 2023]

When I first saw this advertised on one of my streaming channels. I was really skeptical. I mean, how many different ways can you tackle a classic story like this without becoming trite?

Although it starts out really predictably - albeit with a female antagonist - it quickly took a really original approach, with a modern-day setting.

Perhaps the most striking aspect is that because this was filmed during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, each actor performed their parts individually using green screen technology.

Throw in a stellar cast, excellent music, some really quirky characters and a few ironic twists at the end and you have a winning formula for the holiday season.